Fuel cell

Abstract

A simple, inexpensive and highly efficient fuel cell has boundary structures made of a photo-sensitive material in combination with selective patterning. Printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication techniques combine boundary structures with two and three dimensional electrical flow path. Photo-sensitive material and PCB fabrication techniques are alternately or combined utilized for making micro-channel structures or micro stitch structures for substantially reducing dead zones of the diffusion layer while keeping fluid flow resistance to a minimum. The fuel cell assembly is free of mechanical clamping elements. Adhesives that may be conductively contaminated and/or fiber-reinforced provide mechanical and eventual electrical connections, and sealing within the assembly. Mechanically supporting backing layers are pre-fabricated with a natural bend defined in combination with the backing layers' elasticity to eliminate massive support plates and assist the adhesive bonding. Proton insulation between adjacent and electrically linked in-plane cell elements is provided by structural insulation within the central membrane.

1. A fuel cell comprising a shaped layer of a selectively patterned and irradiation cured photo-sensitive material, wherein said shaped layer provides a boundary structure of a vacant passage for conductance of a fluid, wherein a bottom of said vacant passage is provided by a substrate, wherein said boundary structure is a side wall of said vacant passage provided by said shaped layer deposited and selectively patterned on top of said substrate, and wherein said vacant passage is a distribution channel system including interdigitated supply finger channels and exhaust finger channels. 
   
   
     2. The fuel cell of  claim 1 , wherein said photo-sensitive material is a UV-curable material. 
   
   
     3. The fuel cell of  claim 1 , made by a process including the step of UV-irradiating across a deposition height of said photo-sensitive material. 
   
   
     4. The fuel cell of  claim 1 , made by a process including the steps of:
 a. depositing said photo-sensitive material in uncured condition on top of said substrate; 
 b. defining said boundary structure by said selective patterning and by said irradiation curing of said photo-sensitive material; and 
 c. removing a remaining uncured of said photo-sensitive material. 
 
   
   
     5. A fuel cell comprising a shaped layer of a selectively patterned and irradiation cured photo-sensitive material, wherein said shaped layer provides a boundary structure of a vacant passage for conductance of a fluid, wherein a bottom of said vacant passage is provided by a substrate, wherein said boundary structure is a side wall of said vacant passage provided by said shaped layer deposited and selectively patterned on top of said substrate, and wherein said substrate is of semi-rigid polyimide. 
   
   
     6. A fuel cell comprising a shaped layer of a selectively patterned and irradiation cured photo-sensitive material, wherein said shaped layer provides a boundary structure of a vacant passage for conductance of a fluid, wherein a bottom of said vacant passage is provided by a substrate, wherein said boundary structure is a side wall of said vacant passage provided by said shaped layer deposited and selectively patterned on top of said substrate, and wherein said substrate is of fiber reinforced epoxy.